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December 23, 2007

CHICO'S "STRUCTUAL DEFICIT" -- Thinking "outside the box" and "reinventing" the City's organization

The City Council has asked for suggestions, from the public, concerning methods of reducing the “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT”, estimated to be somewhere between 56 and 120 million dollars, over the next 10 years.

Here is one suggestion, of many, that I will include in my future BLOGS.

Rescind the million of dollars, for consulting services, that have been allocated for expanded police and fire facilities. Although these millions may come from Redevelopment Funds, millions may be required for additional personnel and equipment, funded from the General Fund, which has the mounting financial “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT”.

Before expending any substantial capital funds, the City Council should look at savings that may be accomplished by thinking “outside of the box” or reinventing the present City organization. Many private corporations have had to do this kind of thinking, in order to survive.

The City will not solve its ““STRUCTUAL DEFICIT” until it reinvented its organization.

Stay tuned for many more suggestions.


Posted by Fred at 08:43 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

December 19, 2007

CHICO'S "STRUCTUAL DEFICIT"--It's the City Council's making!

The City Council has known that it had a “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT” problem in its finances for at least the past 5 or more years. It’s inconceivable that they would approve a new agreement with the Firefighters Union for six years which includes salary increases of 5% this year and 4% for each of the next 5 years; along with a substantial payment for a health plan after retirement.

This is irresponsible and the Council should get busy immediately resolving the “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT” with some real cutbacks in salary and benefits and corrections needed in the organization of the various departments that are funded by the General Fund.

The discussions to date were superficial and will not solve the “STRUCTUAL DEFICIT”.

The bureaucracy has taken over, and it evident that the City Council needs some help from the outside.

I’m told by the present generation of politicians, and others, that we must think “outside of the box” and learn “to reinvent” our institutions. I’ll try to make some suggestions in my next several BLOGS; thinking “outside of the box”.

Please stay tuned!!!


Posted by Fred at 09:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack